Hooded fireplace construction



Dec. 26, 1967 R. D. THULMAN 3,3

HOODED FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 1, 1965 FIG. 4. Z5

//JJ 7 3? E J0 ROBERT D.THul.r1AN, A? E 22 I INVENTOR /0/ /d 28 /9 2 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,359,968 HOODED FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Robert D. Thulman, 10002 Frederick Ave., Kensington, Md. 20795 Filed Oct. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 492,083 8 Claims. (Cl. 126120) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Improvements embracing heat shield means and firescreen means are provided in a free standing fireplace of the conically hooded type, cooperating with the conically hooded structure and having unique mounting and guiding means associated therewith.

This invention relates to fireplaces of the hooded hearth type, and more particularly to heat shield and screen means for a free standing fireplace of the tapered or conically hooded type such as the fireplaces currently being marketed under the trademark Glo-lite, and aims generally to provide improved structures therefor.

Particular objects of the invention, severally and interdependently, are: to provide a fireplace of the tapered hood type with flexible draw screen means particularly adapted for cooperation therewith; to provide an improved heat shield for such a fireplace; to provide a heat shield cooperable with the improved screen; to provide a simple and effective draw or traverse screen construction adapted to have a tapered or conical configuration; to provide simple and effective means for associating such a screen with a free-standing fireplace of the tapered or conical hood type; and to provide novel sub-combinations and features contributing to the foregoing more general objects. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description of a fireplace including illustrative embodiments of the several cooperating features of the invention, which, however, are to be taken as illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings of the illustrative em bodiments:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a screen frame, with hooded hearth fireplace elements shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 3, with portions cut away or shown in phantom for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2, with parts shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail in exploded perspective of a part of the assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail of another part thereof, and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the heat shield of the embodiment.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the fireplace comprises a substantially flat horizontal hearth 10 supported on any suitable base (not shown). In the form shown the hearth 10 comprises a shallow oval metal frame 11 having a refractory hearth portion 12 and provided with a metal ash retaining rim 13 defining the bottom front and side edges of the fireplace opening.

To the hearth 10 is suitably secured a tapered hood 15 extending thereabove. Said tapered hood 15 may be of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 1,194,373 issued to H. Fralick Aug. 15, 1916, and in other forge hood publications. In the form shown, it meets the hearth around approximately half the perimeter thereof, to define rear and side walls of the fireplace about the rear of the "ice hearth. The tapered hood 15, as shown, is spaced from the hearth around approximately the other half of the perimeter thereof to define the fireplace opening, which opening, in the form shown is of greater height at its central portion than at its side portions, and preferably, as shown, slopes or tapers from its central portion 16 downwardly and outwardly to its side extremities 17. At its upper end the tapered hood 15 terminates in a flue collar 18 for association with a suitable fireplace fine.

The securernent of the hood 15 to the hearth 10 in the form shown comprises among its fastenings, mating bolt holes 19 in the rim 13 and hood 15 adjacent the extremities 17 of the fireplace opening. In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention the bolts 20 (FIG. 4) which pass through the hood (omitted in FIG. 4 for clarity) and then through the rim 13, are used to also secure the screen frame 21, as hereinafter more fully described The screen frame 21 as shown is of unique construction. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 it is tapered, and as best shown in FIG. 3 it is quickly and easily inserted and removed from the fireplace. In the form shown the tapered screen frame 21 has a generally horizontal detachable guide portion 22 extending around the lower portion of the fireplace opening above the hearth and in spaced relation from the perimeter of the hearth defined by the rim 13. The portion 22 in the form shown is formed of relatively stiff metal rod, and provided with means such as hooked ends and one or more legs 23 for supporting it in spaced relation above the hearth. With this arrangement, if considerable ash collects between the rod 22 and the rim 13, as the screen is moved between these elements it tends to displace the ash inwardly under the rod 22, rather than outwardly over the rim 13.

The screen frame 21 comprises an upper generally horizontal traverse rod 24 which extends inside the tapered hood at a level slightly higher than the greatest height 16 of the opening, and this traverse rod 24 is preferably centrally supported from the hood as by a bendable clamp or clip 25 (FIG. 3), while at its rear ends the traverse rod 24 is supported by inclined legs 26 angled to lie substantially against or close to the hood 15 and to generally conform to the taper thereof throughout the major part of their heights, and to stand away from the hood at their upper portions 27 to position the end portions of the traverse rod 24 in spaced relation to the walls of the hood 15. The legs 26 in the form shown are provided at their extremities with loops 28, and are located so that when the loops are engaged by the bolts 20 (FIG. 4) and the rod 24 is received in the clip 25 (FIG. 3) the traverse rod 24 and guide portion 22 are horizontal, the horizontal projection of the traverse rod falling inwardly of the guide rod so that the flexible draw screen 30 (indicated diagrammatically so as not to unduly obscure other parts) will have a tapered flare for surrounding substantially all of the hearth exposed in the fireplace opening and aesthetically blending with the taper of the tapered hood. The bolts 20 are provided with suitable means such as nuts and washers 30 and 31 (FIG. 4) for securing the assembly as shown.

The flexible draw screen 30 may be of any suitable form. Preferably its fabric is of the known spiral wound wire mesh type, made up of parallel spiral wires each interlinking hingedly with the two adjacent spirals, with their upper and lower ends flexibly linked against separation, and with curtain rings 33 associated with the upper edge of each curtain. To the first or foremost curtain ring 33A of each curtain (FIGS. 3 and 5) a handle 34 (FIG. 3) is flexibly hung. The handles 34 are substantially rigid and are used to push and pull the respective curtains to their retracted and drawn positions, or to intermediate positions. The push handle guards against the hand contacting a hot hood 15. The first or foremost ring 33A of each screen section is spaced from the forward edge 35 of the screen and, as best shown in FIG. 5, a stiff cantilever supporting member or rod 36 is threaded through the top of the screen, with downturned ends engaging in the upper ends of the forward edge coil 35 and a coil spaced therefrom, the rod 36 passing through the ring 33A to which the handle 34 is hung externally of the screen 30 and through at least one ring 33 in addition thereto. With this arrangement, when the screen is pushed to retracted position by the handle 34, which may be of such length as then to hang with its lower end just below the upper side edge of the fireplace opening, the handle will hang between the screen and the hood and will be somewhat protected from radiant heat by the screen, and when the rings 33A are pulled to their drawn positions by the handles 34, where they abut the clip 25 as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 5, the rods 26 cause the contiguous edges 35 of the screens to overlap, assuring complete screening of the fireplace opening.

As is shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3 and in diagrammatic form in FIG. 6, the hooded fireplace preferably comprises means for securing the upper ends of the legs 2627 to impart rigidity to the assembly, this means in the form shown being afforded by a cooperatively arranged heat shield 40. This heat shield 40, in the form shown, comprises a sheet of metal adapted to be secured in spaced relation to the inner side of that portion of the hood which forms the back and sides of the fireplace. As best shown in FIG. 6 the hearth 10 may be provided in spaced relation to the back wall of the fireplace with an upstanding lug or support 41, and the shield 40 may have its corners bent over as shown to contact the hood wall at spaced points, the shield 40 being flexed and suitably secured to the lug 41 as by sheet metal screws 42. As shown in FIG. 3, because of the tapered or conical shape of the hood 15, the upwardly extending side edges of the assembled shield will be inclined from the vertical, and with the shield dimensioned so that its upper corners reach inside the top of the frame 21 about at the portion 27, these corners can also serve as means for rigidifying the rod portions 26- 27-24 and for securing the rear corners of the screen panels 30 as hereinafter described.

In assembling the screen with the fireplace, both screen panels 30 are first assembled on and gathered at the center of the traverse rod portion 24 of the screen frame or rod 21. The rod and screen are then inserted into the fireplace and the top of the rod, 'with the screen panels separated, is then pulled down and secured in the bendable or spring clamp or clip 25. The loops 28 at the lower ends of the screen rod legs 26 are then hooked around the bolts and the guide rod ends, which are also hooked as shown at 37 (FIG. 4), are then hooked around the screen rods 26 as shown, and the washers 31 and nuts are engaged over the ends of the bolts 20. The last or rearmost rings 33B are then moved back to drop down over the rod portions 27 as shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, and the upper tab or bent corner of the shield 4-0, shown in phantom in FIG. 3 for clarity, is hooked over the screen rod 27 between the rings 33B and the next adjacent ring 33, thereby stiffening the assembly and preventing the rear portion of the screen from pulling forward along the rod 24, after which the bolts 2% are tightened sufficiently to hold the parts in the positions shown. By use of the push-pull handles 34 the screen sections may now be retracted into close juxtaposition to the legs 26, completely concealing the upper portions of the screens within the hood in the form shown, or be drawn to screen the fireplace opening, in which position, in the form shown, the screen itself has a conical or tapered form pleasingly blending with the form of the tapered hood, Furthermore, it will be seen that with the handles 34 located as shown in FIG. 3, they hang substantially vertically within the hood but outside the screen panels when the screen panels are in fully retracted position, and hang centrally of the fireplace opening but outside the screen panels when said screen panels are in drawn position.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of various features of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that minor modifications and changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What is claimed is:

1. in a fireplace, in combination,

(a) a substantially horizontal hearth,

(b) a tapered hood thereabo-ve,

(c) said tapered hood meeting said hearth around approximately half the perimeter thereof to define rear and side walls about the rear portion of said hearth,

(d) said tapered hood being spaced from said hearth around approximately the other half of the perimeter thereof to define a fireplace opening,

(c) said opening being of greater height at its central portion than at its side portions,

( f) a screen frame,

(g) said screen frame having a lower gene-rally horizontal guide means extending around the lower portion of said opening above said hearth and in inwardly spaced relation to the perimeter of said hearth,

(11) said screen frame having an upper generally horizontal traverse rod extending inside said tapered hood at a level slightly higher than the greatest height of said opening and embracing an area of less extent than that embraced by said guide means,

(i) means 'for centrally supporting said traverse rod from said hood above the center of said opening,

(j) inclined leg means supporting said traverse rod at its rear ends, said leg means being angled to lie proximate to and to generally conform to the taper of said hood throughout the major part of their heights, and to stand away from said hood at their upper portions to position the end portion of said traverse rod in spaced relation to said hood,

(k) said inclined leg means being secured to said hearth 'at their lower ends,

(1) curtain type flexible fire screen panels slidable on said traverse rod at either side of said central support,

and having a rearward and forward edges and sized to cover said fireplace opening when drawn so that their forward edges are contiguous to each other,

(m) said flexible fire screen means depending into the space between said guide means and the perimeter of said hearth and being held at a tapering slope "by said guide means,

(n) suspended push-pull handle means secured to each of said first screen panels in spaced relation to the forward edges thereof and lying externally of said screen panels, for retracting and drawing the same,

(0) cantilever means supporting the forward edges of said screen panels for overlapping the same when said screen panels are drawn,

(p) heat shield means secured in said fireplace in spaced relation to rear and side wall portions thereof,

(q) said heat shield means supporting said leg means against said conical hood and securing the rearward edges of said screen panels against displacement along said traverse rod.

2. In a fireplace, in combination,

(a) a substantially horizontal hearth,

(b) a tapered hood thereabove,

(c) said tapered hood meeting said hearth around approximately half the perimeter thereof to define rear and side walls about the rear portion of said hearth,

(d) said tapered hood being spaced from said hearth around approximately the other half of the perimeter thereof to define a fireplace opening,

(e) said opening being of greater height at its central port-ion than at its side portions,

( f) a screen frame,

(g) said screen frame having a lower generally horizontal guide means extending around the lower portion of said opening above said hearth and in inwardly spaced relation to the perimeter of said hearth,

(h) said screen frame having an upper generally horizontal traverse rod extending inside said tapered hood at a level slightly higher than the greatest height of said opening and embracing an area of less extent than that embraced by said guide means,

(i) means for centrally supporting said traverse rod from said hood above the center of said opening, (j) inclined leg means supporting said traverse rod at it rear ends, said leg means being angled to lie proximate to and to generally conform to the taper of said hood throughout the major part of their heights, and to stand away from said hood at their upper portions to position the end portion of said traverse rod in spaced relation to said hood,

(k) said inclined leg means being secured to said hearth at their lower ends,

(I) curtain type flexible fire screen panels slida'ble on said traverse rod at either side of said central support and having rearward and forward edges and sized to cover said fireplace opening when drawn so that their forward edges are contiguous to each other,

(in) said flexible fire screen means depending into the space between said guide means and the perimeter of said hearth and being held at a tapering slope by said guide means, and

(n) means for supporting the forward edges of said screen panels for overlapping the same when drawn.

6. In a fireplace, in combination,

(a) a substantially horizontal hearth,

(b) a tapered hood thereabove,

(c) said tapered hood meeting said hearth around approximately half the perimeter thereof to define rear and side walls about the rear portion of said hearth,

(d) said tapered hood being spaced from said hearth around approximately the other half of the perimeter thereof to define a fireplace opening, and

(e) heat shield means secured in said fireplace in spaced relation to rear and side wall portions thereof, said securement being confined to the lower central part of said shield means, and said shield means being bent to generally parallel said walls and having corner portions bent to extend laterally from the plane of said shield to support its corners in spaced relation to said walls.

'4. The combination with a fireplace having a hearth and a conical hood thereabove defining a fireplace opening of greater height at its front than at its sides, of a fire screen comprising a frame fitting within said conical hood and having a horizontal traverse rod entirely housed within said hood, flexible screen panels movably mounted on said traverse rod and adapted, when open, to have their upper halves substantially completely concealed within said hood, said screen panels having substantially rigid operating handles hanging from the upper forward portions of said screen panels and extending downwardly externally of said screen panels for about half the height of said screen panels and serving for pushing and pulling said screen panels between their opened and closed positions, said handles hanging substantially entirely within said hood but outside said screen panels when said screen panels are in fully retracted position, and hanging centrally of said opening but outside said screen panels when said screen panels are in drawn position.

5. For combination with a fireplace having a substantially horizontal hearth with a hood supported thereon and defining with said hearth a fireplace opening extending across the front and around the sides of said hearth, a fire-screen adapted to close said opening, said fire-screen comprising a first frame member having leg portions adapted to be secured contiguous to said hearth and shaped to extend upwardly inside said hood and joined by a bent traverse rod portion, said fire-screen comprising a screen guide means formed to be secured to the lower parts of said leg portions and to bridge the same in underlying relation to said traverse rod portion, said screen guide portion in horizontal projection extending outwardly of said traverse rod portion, said fire-screen further comprising flexible fire-screen panels which, when supported on said traverse rod portions, have their lower portions held in outwardly flared position by said guide means.

6. A flexible fire-screen comprising a single traverse rod adapted to be supported at its center, two sets of rings slida'ble on said rod, one set at either side of said center, and flexible fire-screen panels supported by said rings, said panels having edge portions adapted to overlap when drawn, and cantilever supporting means for said edge portions each extending through a plurality of said rings.

7. A frame for supporting a flexible fire-screen within a hooded hearth type fireplace having a fireplace opening, said frame being formed from a single rod bent to provide a horizontal traverse rod portion bet-ween depending leg portions, said leg portions formed for secure ment to said hooded hearth at about hearth level and being bent to stand away from the hood of said fireplace, and said traverse rod being arranged to be otherwise supported only centrally above said fireplace opening.

8. A fire-screen frame according to claim 7 further comprising a guide portion of generally C-shape formed to extend horizontally around said hearth portion in inwardly spaced relation to the perimeter thereof, but in outwardly spaced relation to the horizontal projection of said traverse rod portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FIREPLACE, IN COMBINATION, (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL HEARTH, (B) A TAPERED HOOD THEREABOVE, (C) SAID TAPERED HOOD MEETING SAID HEARTH AROUND APPROXIMATELY HALF THE PERIMETER THEREOF TO DEFINE REAR AND SIDE WALL ABOUT THE REAR PORTION OF SAID HEARTH, (D) SAID TAPERED HOOD BEING SPACED FROM SAID HEARTH AROUND APPROXIMATELY THE OTHER HALF OF THE PERIMETER THEREOF TO DEFINE A FIREPLACE OPENING, (E) SAID OPENING BEING OF GREATER HEIGHT AT ITS CENTRAL PORTION THAN AT ITS SIDE PORTIONS, (F) A SCREEN FRAME, (G) SAID SCREEN FRAME HAVING A LOWER GENERALLY HORIZONTAL GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING AROUND THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID OPENING ABOVE SAID HEARTH AND IN INWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO THE PERIMETER OF SAID HEARTH, (H) SAID SCREEN FRAME HAVING AN UPPER GENERALLY HORIZONTAL TRAVERSE ROD EXTENDING INSIDE TAPERED HOOD AT A LEVEL SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE GREATEST HEIGHT OF SAID OPENING AND EMBRACING AN AREA OF LESS EXTENT THAN THAT EMBRACED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS, (I) MEANS FOR CENTRALLY SUPPORTING SAID TRAVERSE ROD FROM SAID HOOD ABOVE THE CENTER OF SAID OPENING, (J) INCLINED LEG MEANS SUPPORTING SAID TRAVERSE ROD AT ITS REAR ENDS, SAID LEG MEANS BEING ANGLED TO LIE PROXIMATE TO AND TO GENERALLY CONFORM TO THE TAPER OF SAID HOOD THROUGHOUT THE MAJOR PART OF THEIR HEIGHTS, AND TO STAND AWAY FROM SAID HOOD AT THEIR UPPER PORTIONS TO POSITION THE END PORTION OF SAID TRAVERSE ROD IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID HOOD, (K) SAID INCLINED LEG MEANS BEING SECURED TO SAID HEARTH AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, (L) CURTAIN TYPE FLEXIBLE FIRE SCREEN PANELS SLIDABLE ON SAID TRAVERSE ROD AT EITHER SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL SUPPORT AND HAVING A REARWARD AND FORWARD EDGES AND SIZED TO COVER SAID FIREPLACE OPENING WHEN DRAWN SO THAT THEIR FORWARD EDGES ARE CONTIGUOUS TO EACH OTHER, (M) SAID FLEXIBLE FIRE SCREEN MEANS DEPENDING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEANS AND THE PERIMETER OF SAID HEARTH AND BEING HELD AT A TAPERING SLOPE BY SAID GUIDE MEANS, (N) SUSPENDED PUSH-PULL HANDLE MEANS SECURED TO EACH OF SAID FIRST SCREEN PANELS IN SPCED RELATION TO THE FORWARD EDGES THEREOF AND LYING EXTERNALLY OF SAID SCREEN PANELS, FOR RETRACTING AND DRAWING THE SAME, (O) CANTILEVER MEANS SUPPORTING THE FORWARD EDGES OF SAID SCREEN PANELS FOR OVERLAPPING THE SAME WHEN SAID SCREEN PANELS ARE DRAWN, (P) HEAT SHIELD MEANS SECURED IN SAID FIREPLACE IN SPACED RELATION TO REAR AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS THEREOF, (Q) SAID HEAT SHIELD MEANS SUPPORTING SAID LEG MEANS AGAINST SAID CONICAL HOOD AND SECURING THE REARWARD EDGES OF SAID SCREEN PANELS AGAINST DISPLACEMENT ALONG SAID TRAVERSE ROD. 